


A thousand lifetimes

by emma91011



Category: The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Genre: Angst, College, Love, M/M, Reincarnation AU, Sad, The Song of Achilles - Freeform, historical??, theres kinda a happy ending, they can't catch a break, tsoa - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-30
Updated: 2015-10-30
Packaged: 2018-04-28 20:43:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5105093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emma91011/pseuds/emma91011
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Achilles and Patroclus find each other in every lifetime. They are destined to touch but never to fully embrace. </p><p>reincarnation au throughout history</p>
            </blockquote>





	A thousand lifetimes

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Тысяча жизней](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8298353) by [DrWinter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrWinter/pseuds/DrWinter)



"I would know him in death," you say. But you don't know death, you've never faced it. As you take your last breathe, you hope to see him again.

Achilles becomes no god. He chooses to die. He chooses you. 

Little do you know, the fates have blessed you. You will never fully know death. You will not live in a happily ever after in the underworld. You will only know pain and anguish. You will know mortal life. You will know him, time and time again, until the end of days. 

 

It is a few hundred years later and you're reborn into a noble family who pays for your education. You go to a school in Athens with other boys of your kind. There's one in particular who strikes your interest, he's blonde and fast and has hopes of becoming an emperor. 

His name is Achilles, after the beloved war hero and your name Patroclus, and it seems reasonable you too become friends. Your namesakes were, after all. However, you're in love with him and you're not sure how he feels but you can't help but notice the stolen glances and lingering touches. 

He dies in a fire before you can know the shape of his lips. 

 

There's a new messiah in town and an arrogant boy named Achilles is angry. He should be getting all the fame and glory, like those in his family before him. He comes from a line of Roman royalty and you come from servants. 

You serve his family and watch as they terrorize the Jewish people who follow this leader Christ. One night you find him crying, and his green eyes are full of fear. He tells you he believes, and you can't do anything but kiss him. 

His father finds out and kills him. You follow soon, claiming in the name of God, but the only religion you know is him. 

 

You are in the Mayan empire, running through the forest. At your heels is a blonde boy who looks like a god. He is unusual among your dark haired people, but because they know his mother and father nothing is questioned. 

You become friends. You wade in the river, climb the trees, fight with wild dogs. You even sleep in his arms on hunting trips. 

When he kisses you, you are alarmed. You have a partner, she is beautiful but she can't make you feel the way he does. You are in love with this ray of sun. 

You are picked for the sacrifice, and you hear him cry for you. You die anyways. He holds your bloody body and curses the gods who took him from you. 

 

It is the early renaissance and art has begun to flood the cities again, along with a beautiful sun kissed boy. You paint him while he runs through the town. He notices one day and asks you to paint him that night. 

He is nude and you forget your painting and you are all over and within and totally in bliss. This happens regularly. When you are not with him, your arms reach out and ache for the boy with the strange, foreign name. Achilles. It runs over your tongue like cool water on a warm summer day. 

In the winter he dies of the plague. You die two months later. They say it was the plague but you could've sworn it was a broken heart. 

 

Strange white men have invaded your land. A blonde one, with the name of Achilles, strikes your interest. He treats you well, protects you. He kisses you one night in the woods. 

He visits when he can, teaching you about his strange world. Your heart is his and you never knew how amazing another man could taste. 

His people engage in battle with yours. He is shot with an arrow. You, with a bullet. You die 100 feet away from each other, calling each other's name. 

 

The railroad is new to America and you have worked along it every step of the way. Your friend, Achilles, works with you. You love him but you know you can't be with him. 

One night the whole crew gets drunk and you kiss him and he runs away. He tells you he loves you but it's not right. You don't see him again. 

You marry a beautiful brunette because you can't stand blondes, but you scream his name when you have sex with her. 

In this lifetime, no one dies young. Just your hearts. 

 

The war has broke out and everyone is rallying. Your best friend has signed up to fight in the pacific. You beg him not to go and he tells you he'll be back soon. 

The night before he leaves, you get drunk and finally have the courage to kiss him. He kisses you back with all his force and you make love for hours on end. In the morning, you wake to only a note saying "I'll see you soon."

A few monthes later, you're holding his dog tags above his coffin and cursing whatever higher being has made this your personal hell. 

 

Disco and marijuana are in. Gays are not. You get high and pretend that you aren't in love with your blonde lab partner. One night he asks you to study with him and he kisses you. 

Achilles, the football star, ends up being gay. And for you, a nerd. You spend night upon night in his car, fucking, as he calls it. You're in too deep. 

A few teammates find out and beat you up. He takes his life. 

 

You are moving into your college dorm. Your mom is crying and your dad acts like he doesn't care, but you see a tear or two. They leave and you meet your room mate and get to talking. 

That night you go to a party and dance and dance and dance and a blonde boy catches your eye. You realize this isn't high school or the 1950s, so you go over and act casual striking up a conversation. 

Sticking out his hand, he tells you his name. "Achilles."

"Patroclus."

In this lifetime, you get a chance.


End file.
